1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image processing apparatuses and image forming apparatuses that form an image using an electrophotographic process.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrophotographic image forming apparatuses transfer a toner image, which has been developed on a photosensitive member, to a printing medium. The efficiency of toner image transfer is dependent on the surface properties (texture) of the printing medium. Texture refers to the state of fiber distribution in a paper. In particular, toner images are not transferred sufficiently for papers having a low level of smoothness such as papers where there is significant roughness in the paper. Accordingly, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-321885 proposes an invention in which a transfer surface of an intermediate transfer member is constituted by an elastic member, and reductions in transferability at concave portions are prevented by causing the transfer surface to follow the concave portions of the printing medium. Furthermore, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-78883 proposes an invention in which a white toner or a transparent toner is used prior to image forming of a colored toner to smooth the surface of the transfer paper.
With the invention described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-321885, there is a risk that the toner cleaning properties of the surface of the intermediate transfer member will be greatly reduced. Furthermore, in regard to belt-shaped intermediate transfer members, there is also a risk that production costs will greatly increase. Since a white toner or transparent toner is used in the invention described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-78883, this requires increased costs in toner itself and materials for forming layers of these toners, which unfortunately incurs increases in the overall size and costs of the image forming apparatus.